Cherry Peach Lemon Ricotta Cake (20 Minutes of Prep!)

A slice of cherry cake dusted with powdered sugar on a white plate, with fresh cherries and a mint leaf beside it, and a fork nearby.

Cherry Peach Lemon Ricotta Cake (20 Minutes of Prep!)

Soft, moist, and lightly sweet, this Italian ricotta cake bakes fresh sweet cherries and juicy yellow peaches right into a lemony ricotta batter. One bowl of batter, a 9-inch springform pan, and a dusting of powdered sugar are all it takes.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword cherry peach ricotta cake, Italian ricotta cake, lemon ricotta cake, ricotta cake

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 55

Total Time 1 20

Servings slices

Calories 304kcal

Author Julia

Ingredients

2 medium peaches ripe but firm yellow peaches
1¼ cups cherries (about 180 g) fresh sweet cherries, pitted and halved
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour taken from the 2 cups below
½ cup unsalted butter (113 g) room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar (150 g)
3 large eggs room temperature
1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese (250 g) room temperature
1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
1 tablespoon lemon zest from about 2 lemons
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour (250 g)
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon fine salt
½ cup heavy cream (120 ml) room temperature
Powdered sugar for dusting

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Wash and cut the fruit: Wash and thoroughly dry the cherries and peaches, then thoroughly dry them. Pit the cherries and cut them in half. Halve the peaches, remove the pits, and cut into slices about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick. No need to peel them.
Pat the fruit dry and coat it in flour: Pat the peach slices dry with paper towels. Place all the fruit in a bowl, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of flour taken from the measured 2 cups, and toss gently to coat. Set aside.
Heat the oven and line the pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C), or 320°F (160°C) if using convection. Line the bottom and sides of a 9-inch (23 cm) springform pan (or a 9-inch pan with a removable bottom) with parchment paper.
Combine the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Use a handheld mixer, a stand mixer, or a whisk.
Add the eggs: Add them one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add the ricotta and flavorings: Add the ricotta, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth.
Alternate the flour and cream: Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the heavy cream in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix on low speed only until the last streak of flour disappears. Do not overmix.
Fill the pan: Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
Add the fruit: Arrange the peach slices and cherry halves over the batter and press them in about halfway. Do not bury them completely and do not leave them sitting loose on the surface.
Bake the cake: Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the cake between the pieces of fruit comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If the top is browning too quickly at around 40 minutes, tent loosely with foil.
Cool the cake: Cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Release the springform ring, then transfer the cake to a wire rack and cool completely, about 2 hours.
Dust and serve: Dust generously with powdered sugar right before slicing and serving.

Notes

Cherries: Use dark, firm, sweet cherries. Sour cherries are too tart here unless you toss them with a tablespoon of sugar first.
To pit your cherries, you can use a cherry pitter, or do as I did – cut them in half and remove the pit with a small spoon or a knife.
Use room temperature ingredients: The butter, eggs, ricotta, and heavy cream should all sit out for about an hour first. Cold ingredients will make the batter look split, and the cake bake up dense.
Measure the flour correctly: I aerate the flour with a spoon, spoon it into the cup, and level it off. Packing flour into the measuring cup is the fastest way to a heavy cake.
Drain watery ricotta: Use whole milk ricotta. If there is visible liquid in the ricotta tub, let it drain in a fine mesh sieve for 20 minutes before using it. Part-skim ricotta makes a gummier cake.
Do not overmix: Stop as soon as the flour disappears. Extra mixing develops gluten and makes the crumb tough instead of tender.
To keep fruit from sinking: Toss the fruit in flour to help keep cherries suspended in the cake batter. Don't press the fruit deeper than halfway into the batter.
Press the fruit in: Push the cherries and peaches down until they are partly submerged. They will settle further as the cake bakes.
Do not overbake: Start checking at 45 minutes. This cake is meant to stay moist and slightly custardy in the center. A toothpick that hits a cherry will always come out wet. Test between the fruit.
Serving ideas: Powdered sugar is all it needs. You can also top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
Special Tools: 9-inch springform pan (or 9-inch cake pan with a removable bottom), Parchment paper, Cherry pitter, Hand mixer or stand mixer (optional), Fine Mesh Strainer, Cooling Rack.

Storage Tips

Room temperature: Covered, up to 2 days.
Refrigerator: In an airtight container, up to 4 days total. Bring slices to room temperature before serving.
Freezer: Wrap tightly in plastic and then foil, up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and dust with fresh powdered sugar before serving.
Make-ahead: This cake is better on day two. Bake it the day before you need it.

Nutrition